Plastic container for eggs

ABSTRACT

A plastic container for eggs comprising a main body with cavities and a cover body with cavities which receive eggs in cooperation with the corresponding cavities provided to the main body, said cover body being foldable to the main body and secured to said main body, during the conveyance or handling of the container from a raiser to retailer, mainly by means of a plurality of projections one ends of which are made integral with one of said main body or cover body and the other ends of which are weldable to the other of the main body or cover body and auxiliary by means of convex and concave projections formed on the cover and main body which are snapped to each other when the cover body is folded to the main body, the projections one ends of which are welded to either one of the cover or main body being releasable by his fingers when a consumer wishes to open the container, and said convex and concave projections acting to secure the cover body to the main body when the container is opened by the consumer for taking out therefrom a desired number of eggs by releasing the welded projections and preserves the remaining eggs within the container.

ilnited States Patent Nogulclii [4 1 May 9,1972

[54] PLASTIC CONTAINER FOR EGGS [72] Inventor: Hlkoji Noguchi, 1251-10, Oaza-Narahashi Yamato-machi, Kitatama-gun, Tokyo,

Japan [22] Filed: July 20, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 56,437

[52] US. Cl ..229/2.5, 229/29 M [51] Int. Cl. ..B65d l/00, B65d 5/48 [58] Field of Search ..229/2.5, 29 M, 28, 51 W8, 48.5 A;

[ 56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,421,682 1/1969 Eisenbach ..229/2.5 X 3,128,933 4/1964 Hohnjec ..229/2.5 3,001,689 9/1961 Burton..... 229/51 WB 3,351,270 11/1967 Hohnjec 229/2.5 X 2,974,842 3/1961 Reifers ..229/2.5

Primary E.\aminerDavis T. Moorhead Attorney-Browdy and Neimark [5 7] ABSTRACT A plastic container for eggs comprising a main body with cavities and a cover body with cavities which receive eggs in cooperation with the corresponding cavities provided to the main body, said cover body being foldable to the main body and secured to said main body, during the conveyance or handling of the container from a raiser to retailer, mainly by means of a plurality of projections one ends of which are made integral with one of said main body or cover body and the other ends of which are weldable to the other of the main body or cover body and auxiliary by means of convex and concave projections formed on the cover and main body which are snapped to each other when the cover body is folded to the main body, the projections one ends of which are welded to.

either one of the cover or main body being releasable by his fingers when a consumer wishes to open the container, and said convex and concave projections acting to secure the cover body to the main body when the container is opened by the consumer for taking out therefrom a desired number of eggs by releasing the welded projections and preserves the remaining eggs within the container.

4 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures PATFNTEDMAY 9 m2 3. 661 .317

sneer 1 0F 2 Q Q INVENTOR 2 l BY ATTORNEY S PLASTIC CONTAINER FOR EGGS This invention relates to a plastic container for eggs.

In a conventional plastic container for eggs such as disclosed in my U. S. Pat. No. 3,286,903, which comprises a main body formed with a number of cavities for receiving therein the lower halves of eggs to be contained in the container and a cover body made integral with the main body, provided with a number of cavities for receivingtherein the upper halves of eggs in cooperation with the cavities of the main body and foldable to said main body at a connecting part made integral with the main body and cover body; the cover body is folded over to the main body in which eggs have been deposited upright with each cavity preferably with the acute ends having no air cells downwards and subsequently the two bodies have to be fastened to each other, by a suitable clip such as a paper fastener or the like, at rims circumferentially outwardly extending from the bodies, or have to be banded to each other by rubber bands or thelike so that the conveyance or handling of eggs by a raiser, transporter and retailer may be facilitated.

Though a clip-type fastener or rubber bands can provide simple means to secure the cover body to the main body, the interconnection between the two bodies by such means is not entirely satisfactory to secure the two bodies tightly during the conveyance or handling of eggs by a raiser, transporter and retailer when the container is rather roughly handled. And, moreover, consumers who buy eggs contained in a container and preserve them with the container by storing it within a refrigerator have to remove the fasteners from the rims or release rubber bands from the container each time when they take out a desired number of eggs from the container and have to fasten the rims by a clip-type fastener or band to the container again before storing the remaining eggs with the container into the refrigerator.

In short, the means for fastening the cover body to the main body in a conventional plastic container for eggs is accompanied by two kinds of disadvantages, viz, (a) it cannot always satisfactorily stand up against the external force given to the container and its fastening means during handling or conveyance of the container from a raiser to retailer, and the interconnection between the cover body and main body by fastening means, sometimes becomes loose or broken resulting in allowing the eggs contained in the container to move within the cavities with resultant cracking or breaking of the eggs, and (b) the fastener must be removed from the container and restored again by a consumer each time that he takes eggs from the container and preserves the balance in the container.

Since conventional plastic containers are accompanied by such disadvantages and so as to eliminate the aforementioned disadvantage, (a) a plastic container for eggs in accordance with the present invention is provided with a plurality of projections which are made integral with a main body or cover body and extend substantially at a right angle from one of the bodies towards the other of the bodies when the cover body is folded over the main body, the projections being weldable by a resistance welding method at their free ends to the other body with such strength that they can positively secure the cover body to the main body and still are releasable by his fingerS when a consumer wishes to open the container.

The plastic container for eggs in accordance with the present invention is further provided, in view of the aforementioned disadvantage (b) of the convention containers, with concave projections extending from either the main body or the cover body and convex projections formed on the other of the bodies which are resiliently engageable with the corresponding concave projections so as to ensure readily the interconnection between the two bodies when a consumer opens the container by releasing the above-mentioned welded projections from one of the bodies and wishes to fasten the two bodies to each other again after taking out a desired number of eggs from the container and before storing the container with the remaining eggs into a refrigerator.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a plastic container for eggs provided with projections integrally formed on either the cover body or the main body and having free ends which can be welded to the other body with such strength that they can firmly secure the cover body to the main body without preventing a free communication of air to each cavity during the conveyance or handling of the container from a raiser to retailer and which can readily be released by the fingers of a consumer.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a plastic container for eggs provided with a plurality of cooperative projections each formed on the rims of the main body or the cover body, which can auxiliarily secure the cover body to the main body, during the transportation of the container, in addition to the projections, one ends of which are integrally formed with either the cover body or the main body and the other ends of which are releasably weldable to the other of the bodies, and which can removably secure the cover body to the main body after the welded ends of the projections are released by the fingers of consumers.

Accordingly, the present invention consists in a plastic container for eggs having a main body formed with a number of cavities for receiving therein the lower halves of eggs to be contained in the container, a cover body made integral with the main body, provided with a number of cavities for receiving therein the upper halves of eggs in cooperation with the corresponding cavities of the main body and foldable to the main body at a connecting part which is integral with the main body and cover body, and a plurality of projections integral with one of the aforementioned bodies and having such a height that it provides a vertical clearance between the cover body and main body when the former is folded to the latter thereby providing a free communication of air to each cavity, the main body and cover body each being provided with a rim made integral therewith and extending circumferentially outwardly therefrom in a horizontal plane; a plurality of projections made integral with one of the rims extending therefrom substantially at a right angle with spaces thercbetween so that their free ends may abut against the other of the rims when the cover body is folded to the main body, and provided at their free ends with the bottom surfaces of such an area which can be welded to the other of the rims with such strength that they can secure the cover body to the main body and still can be removable by fingers, and a plurality of concave projections made integral with one of the rims and a plurality of convex projections made integral with the other of the rims and releasably engageable with the corresponding concave projections when the cover body is folded to the main body, the height of the first-mentioned projections and the sum of heights of the concave and convex projections being substantially equal to the aforementioned clearance between the cover and main body.

In the accompanying drawing in which a preferred embodiment of a plastic container for eggs in accordance with the present invention is illustrated:

FIG. 1 is a front view of plastic container for eggs of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a right-side view of the container illustrated in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2, in which the cover body of the container is opened;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of FIG. 1, taken along the line IV--IV;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged front view of a portion of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of FIG. 5, taken along the line Vl--VI;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of FIG. 5, taken along the line VII-VII;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged front view of a different portion of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 9 is a sectional view of FIG. 8, taken along the line IX-IX.

Now, referring to the drawing, a main body I having cavities 2 and a cover body 1 having cavities 2' are integrally made, and the cover body is foldable to the main body at a connecting part 3 made integral with the bodies. The main body and cover body are respectively provided with rims 4 and 4 which extend circumferentially outwardly from the bodies. The free ends 4a and 4a of the rims 4 and 4 face each other with a vertical clearance therebetween when the cover body is folded over the main body, and said clearance provides a free communication of air to each cavity. One ofthe rims 4 or 4 is provided with a plurality of convex projections 5 which have resiliency working radially outwardly and are yieldably and releasably engageable with the corresponding concave projections 6 formed on the other of said rims 4 or 4. Other projections 7 are provided on one of the rims 4 or 4 which extend substantially at a right angle towards the other of the rims 4 or 4' so that their free ends may abut against the other rim when the cover body is folded to the main body. The free ends have bottom surfaces 7' of such a size which can be welded to the other rims 4 or 4' with such strength that the cover body can be firmly secured to the main body during the conveyance or handling of the container and still can be readily released by his fingers when a consumer wishes to open the container.

One of the examples of configurations of convex and concave projections 5 and 6 which are adaptable to the present invention container are illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7. The convex projections 5 of circular cross sections which are made integral with the rim 4 and provided with a plurality of ribs 5b which extend axially around their outer peripheries and tapered free ends 50, project outwardly from the free ends 4a of rim 4 with spaces therebetween towards the rim 4, while the concave projections 6 having circular cross section and inner diameters substantially equal to the outer diameters of the ribs 5b of the convex projections are formed to the free ends 4a of rim 4 so as to yieldably receive therein the corresponding convex projections.

Each cavity is provided, as seen in a conventional container of the kind, with ribs 8 and 8 so that eggs 10 may be safeguarded from damages or fractures due to the vibrations or strong impacts and eggs of larger or smaller sizes may be safely deposited within said cavities by virtue of the elastic character thereof. A vertical clearance C between the main body and cover body provides, as aforementioned, a free communication of air to each cavity, so that each egg may be preserved in a fresh and brandnew state. Said clearance C is provided, as best shown in FIG. 2, by the provision of a number of pairs of projections 9, 9 each extending from the main body and cover body. It shall be noted that the sum of the heights of said pair of projections 9, 9', the height of projections 7 and the sum of heights of convex and concave projections 5 and 6 when they are snapped to each other are made substantially equal to that of the clearance C.

Although this description has been made with reference to an embodiment of the present invention, it is to be noted that this invention is not limited to the above embodiment, but may comprise other structures coming within the scope of the invention defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. in a plastic container for eggs comprising a main body formed with a number of cavities for receiving therein the lower halves of eggs to be contained in the container and a cover body made integral with the main body, said cover body provided with a number of cavities for receiving therein the upper halves of eggs in cooperation with the corresponding cavities of the main body and foldable to said main body with a vertical clearance therebetween at a connecting part made integral with the main and cover body, said vertical clearance providing a free communication of air to each cavity, the improvement comprising: rims extending circumferentially outwardly from the main and cover body; a plurality of projections integral with one of said rims, extending therefrom substantially at a right angle so that their free ends can abut against the surface of the other of said rims when the cover body is folded to the main body, said projections having bottom surfaces at their free ends which are releasably welded to the other of said rims with such strength that the cover body is secured to the mam body and still can be released by pressure of the fingers; and a plurality of concave projections integral with one of the rims and extending therefrom and a plurality of corresponding convex projections integral with the other of the rims and releasably engageable with the corresponding concave projection when the cover body is folded to the main body, the height of said first-mentioned projections and the sum of heights of said concave and convex projections when they are engaged with each other substantially corresponding to said vertical clearance between the main and cover body.

2. A plastic container for eggs in accordance with claim 1, wherein the vertical clearance to be formed between the cover and main body for providing a free communication of air to each cavity is made by projections formed on the bodies at places between said cavities.

3. A plastic container for eggs in accordance with claim 1, in which the first-mentioned projections are provided on the rim of the cover body.

4. In a plastic container for eggs comprising a main body formed with a number of cavities for receiving therein the lower halves of eggs to be contained in the container and a cover body made integral with the main body, said cover body provided with a number of cavities for receiving therein the upper halves of eggs in cooperation with the corresponding cavities of the main body and foldable to said main body with a vertical clearance therebetween at a connecting part made integral with the main and cover body, said vertical clearance providing a free communication of air to each cavity, the improvement comprising:

first closure means for holding said main body and said cover body in a closed relationship, said first closure means comprising a plurality of projections extending from one of said main body and said cover body substantially at a right angle so that their free ends can abut against the surface of the other of said main body and said cover body when in a closed relationship, said projection being welded to said surface to releasably hold them in a closed relationship; and

second closure means for holding said main body and said cover body in a closed relationship, said second closure means comprising a plurality of concave projections integral with one of said main body and said cover body and extending therefrom and a plurality of corresponding convex projections integral with the other of said main body and said cover body and releasably engageable with the corresponding concave projection when said cover body and said main body are in a closed relationship. 

1. In a plastic container for eggs comprising a main body formed with a number of cavities for receiving therein the lower halves of eggs to be contained in the container and a cover body made integral with the main body, said cover body provided with a number of cavities for receiving therein the upper halves of eggs in cooperation with the corresponding cavities of the main body and foldable to said main body with a vertical clearance therebetween at a connecting part made integral with the main and cover body, said vertical clearance providing a free communication of air to each cavity, the improvement comprising: rims extending circumferentially outwardly from the main and cover body; a plurality of projections integral with one of said rims, extending therefrom substantially at a right angle so that their free ends can abut against the surface of the other of said rims when the cover body is folded to the main body, said projections having bottom surfaces at their free ends which are releasably welded to the other of said rims with such strength that the cover body is secured to the main body and still can be released by pressure of the fingers; and a plurality of concave projections integral with one of the rims and extending therefrom and a plurality of corresponding convex projections integral with the other of the rims and releasably engageable with the corresponding concave projection when the cover body is folded to the main body, the height of said first-mentioned projections and the sum of heights of said concave and convex projections when they are engaged with each other substantially corresponding to said vertical clearance between the main and cover body.
 2. A plastic container for eggs in accordance with claim 1, wherein the vertical clearance to be formed between the cover and main body for providing a free communication of air to each cavity is made by projections formed on the bodies at places between said cavities.
 3. A plastic container for eggs in accordance with claim 1, in which the first-mentioned projections are provided on the rim of the cover body.
 4. In a plastic container for eggs comprising a main body formed with a number of cavities for receiving therein the lower halves of eggs to be contained in the container and a cover body made integral with the main body, said cover body provided with a number of cavities for receiving therein the upper halves of eggs in cooperation with the corresponding cavities of the main body and foldable to said main body with a vertical clearance therebetween at a connecting part made integral with the main and cover body, said vertical clearance providing a free communication of air to each Cavity, the improvement comprising: first closure means for holding said main body and said cover body in a closed relationship, said first closure means comprising a plurality of projections extending from one of said main body and said cover body substantially at a right angle so that their free ends can abut against the surface of the other of said main body and said cover body when in a closed relationship, said projection being welded to said surface to releasably hold them in a closed relationship; and second closure means for holding said main body and said cover body in a closed relationship, said second closure means comprising a plurality of concave projections integral with one of said main body and said cover body and extending therefrom and a plurality of corresponding convex projections integral with the other of said main body and said cover body and releasably engageable with the corresponding concave projection when said cover body and said main body are in a closed relationship. 